There are fewer and fewer births in Portugal

Afonso Almeida Brandão"

Anyone paying close attention to birth rate issues has certainly heard the term "demographic winter." When we say that our country is going through a serious demographic winter, we are not referring to the season; we should, because if we were, we would know that winter would end in a few months and a spring of sunshine and hope for the future would follow. The problem is that the demographic winter that has settled in Portugal has no end in sight, because there are no policies that encourage the birth of babies in Portugal—demographic winter means that the number of births is highly unstable, while the mortality rate is at low levels. This winter is a direct consequence of the economic crises that have affected our country, but not only that. If the issue were only a cycle of economic crisis, it would mean that a few years later the birth rate would increase. The problem is deeper; it is structural. Low wages are one of the main reasons for the state Portugal is in. With low wages, what families can afford to have at least two children? Let me clarify that I am not referring to the large groups of families we all know who live off social security checks and illicit businesses. I am talking about families who work honestly, whose members wake up early every day to face crowded public transport—when it exists—to get to their respective workplaces. At the end of the month, these families have no money left, as their salary has disappeared at the crucial moment of paying bills: rent or mortgage, electricity, water, telephone, gas, television and internet service (which nowadays is almost considered a luxury), fuel, food, among many other fixed expenses. And, of course, the taxes that are clearly visible on the payslip and that fill the State's pockets for nothing, because public services either don't work or work very poorly. Given this, how can a couple think about having at least two children? But if this were the only problem, we could expect the end of winter to be near. But no! It turns out that the low-wage policy is driving our young people out of the country. Now, if young people—those of childbearing age—leave, how will babies be born in Portugal? A country that doesn't offer decent living conditions to its youth is a country destined to perish in the bitterness and harshness of winter. Around 30% of young people born in Portugal are currently scattered around the world. And who can blame them for leaving in search of a better life? Now, tell me: where do you think these young people will bring babies into the world? Not here, unfortunately. But there are still those who choose to stay in Portugal. In these times, they are truly courageous. And even more courageous for deciding to procreate in a country where obstetrics and gynecology emergency services are closed daily. Sometimes all at once, other times randomly. A few months ago, on a Sunday, 11 emergency services were closed: six pediatric and five obstetrics and gynecology services in the districts of Lisbon, Setúbal, and Faro. On Monday, four obstetrics and gynecology services and one pediatric service were closed, and the following day of the same week, four hospitals had their emergency rooms closed, and several hospital units had emergency services operating only at certain times—if someone had a health problem in the middle of the night, the best thing to do was pray, because they wouldn't find any hospitals to receive them. Faced with a problem of this magnitude, what the Government did was publish a map on the National Health Service website identifying the closed emergency services, which was published with errors. If it weren't so tragic, it would make a good joke. Ah! Let's not forget that the Government announced 54 health measures in May 2014, but by August only one of those measures had come into effect, and the Prime Minister at the time, during the PSD's "comeback" period, announced yet another set of measures: it's the old tactic of announcing new things so the population forgets what was promised before and not delivered. The PSD is acting like the Socialist Party, therefore. Does anyone doubt it? And currently the mess continues, as expected, Madam Minister of Health, and Mr. Prime Minister, citizens need functioning emergency hospital services, not promises that are never fulfilled. Moreover, not only do they need it, it's their right, not only because it's enshrined in the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, but because they pay for the National Health Service every month with the tax money that the State takes from their salaries. Mr. Prime Minister, you should focus your concern—if you have one, which we doubt!—and your energy not on announcing a list of measures, but on putting them into practice. That's called governing, and if you don't know how to do it, then step down because there are others who can. In a country where salaries are miserable, young people emigrate, and the National Health Service functions very poorly, leaving many pregnant women at the doors of closed hospitals, who dares to have children (besides the brave few)? I'll give you the answer: immigrants. Data from the National Institute of Statistics shows that, last year, more than a fifth of babies born in Portugal (22%) were born to foreign mothers, a number that has been steadily rising since 2015—that is, since the Socialist Party (PS) formed a government with the support of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Left Bloc after the post-election takeover that overturned the parliamentary tradition that had prevailed until then, which was very simple: whoever won the elections governed. Portugal? Its traditions? Its culture? I read somewhere an expression that someone used to say that these babies warm our demographic winter. Well, whoever said that couldn't be more wrong: these babies further accentuate the social and cultural winter that 50 years of the PS and PSD have created in our country. These babies will grow up knowing their parents' culture and religion. They won't know that "beyond the Marão mountains, those who live there rule," and if they even know where the Marão mountains are, that's already lucky. These babies won't know the tradition of our convent sweets, they won't understand the rivalry with "our brothers" (Spanish neighbors). These babies won't be true Portuguese, because having a document that proves someone was born in Portugal doesn't make that person Portuguese. Or are we mistaken?!... Being Portuguese is an honor and a pride that the true Portuguese carry in their soul and heart.

2025/12/3